Highly complex nose is followed by a powerful burst of dry wine character, as a buttery sweetness emerges but is swept away by the tannic dryness of the wine

Tasting notes:

Nose: Big chocolate and wine notes fill the glass with whipped butter and salted caramel shining through the sweet tannic fog that emerges. There is something herbaceous and earthy about this whisky, almost like basil and kaffir lime leaves. The whipped butter becomes salted, as the burst of red grapes and fortified wine take over with complex candy shop sweetness.

Taste: Powerful and elegant, though lacking in depth and therefore keeping my interest at bay somewhat. The dry burst of alcohol brings a winey sweetness that leaves the palate dry, and the cask influence dominates. There is some licorice with hundreds and thousands on a buttered piece of white bread, but then the wine, yet again, takes over.

Finish: This finish resembles a dry red wine, almost like a shiraz, with a finish that lingers but without much complexity.

This whisky is very enjoyable and powerful. It offers a big wine theme that is not surprising given that it is matured in ex-wine casks.

Likes:

Big and powerful, with lots of energy and a complex nose

Dislikes:

The tannic dryness and wine influence overtakes some of the other character